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Tattoo under attack over war theme

ORGANISERS of the Edinburgh Military Tattoo have been accused of turning this year’s event into a “victory parade” of Scottish troops who fought in the Iraq war.

Mohammed Sarwar, the Labour MP, is among those who have condemned the decision to make the war a focus of the Tattoo as inappropriate and ill-judged.

Opposition MPs and anti-war campaigners believe the parade of troops in combat fatigues through the centre of Edinburgh will be seen as “triumphalist” and have urged the organisers to think again.

Divisions of the Black Watch, the Royal Scots and the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards will perform at the three-week military festival in August.

They will also take part in a procession of festival performers along Princes Street dressed in the battle gear they wore in the Gulf. Recruiting officers will be present throughout the run of the Tattoo to take advantage of “increased interest” because of